Reversing-gear for steam-engines



(Model) REVERSING GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES. v No. 446,746. Patented Feb.17,1891.

Wmesse s: Inventor I I M was NDRWE PETERS cw, FHOTO-UYHD, msmusmn. n c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OIIARLS SlVAN, OF COREY, PENNSYLVANIA.

REVERSING-GEAR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,746, dated February17, 1891. Application filed November 15, 1890- Serial No. 871,537.(Modeh) To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLS SWAN, of Corry, in the county of Erie andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Reversing-Gear for Steam- Engines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in reversing-gear forsteam-engines; and it consists in the combination, with the reversinglink and valve, of a connecting-rod, a slotted spring-actuated leverprovided with a catch, a suitable notched support upon which thespring-actuated lever is pivoted, an operating-lever pivoted to theupper end of the slotted spring-actuated lever, and which is providedwith prongs upon its lower end to bear upon the top edge of the notchedsupport, and the handrod by which the operating-lever is moved, all ofwhich will be more fully described hereinafter.

The objects of my invention are to so con struct the operating-leverthat the vibration of the engine is not communicated to the handrod bywhich the lever is operated, and to make either a push or a pull throughthe hand-rod upon the operating-lever to first detach the slottedspring-actuated lever from its locked position, and then move it so asto reverse the valve.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a reversinggear which embodies myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken from the opposite side.

Arepresents the steannoylinder, B the valve chest, 0 the reversing-link,and D the two eccentric-rods which operate the link, all of which may beconstructed in the usual manner.

Secured to the frame of the engine is the L-shaped quadrant or supportF, upon which are mounted the parts which comprise my invention. In theupper edge of this quadrant F are formed the two notches G, with whichthe catch II upon the lever I engages for the purpose of holding thelink in any desired position. The lover I, which is preferably of theshape shown, has a slot formed through its lower end, where the pivotalbolt J passes through it for the purpose of allowing the lever I anendwise movement, in order to raise the catch I-I out of the notch G, inwhich it is held. For the purpose of returning this lever I always toposition after having been moved there is formed a hook L upon the sideof the lever I near its upper end and asecond hook N upon thequadraut orsupport F, and fastened to these two hooks L N is the spring 0, whichexerts all of its tension in forcing the lever I endwise, so that thepivotal bolt J will always rest in the upper end of the slot throughwhich it passes. Projecting from one edge of this lover I is the curvedarm P, to the lower end of which is pivoted the connecting-link J, whichconnects the lever with the slotted link. The lever I has both .aturning movement upon its pivotal bolt and an endwise movement, asdescribed.

Pivoted to the upper end of the lever I, which projects 'a suitabledistance above the upper notched edge of the quadrant, is the operating-lever R, which turns upon the pivot S, and which has its lower endprovided with the two prongs T, which, when the lever B is in a verticalposition, has the two prongs T to bear upon opposite corners of thesegment F, and thus hold the lever B rigidly in posi tion, but whichprongs T, when the catch H is in either of the recesses G, allow thelever a reciprocating movement upon its pivot, so that the vibration ofthe engine will not be communicated to the hand-rod U, pivoted at oneend to the upper end of the lever R, and which is provided with the twonotches V for catching over a stop of any kind for the purpose oflocking the lever R in position. Midway be tween the notchesV is arecess which catches over the stop when the lever B is in a verticalposition. This rod U will be of any desired length and extend to theoperator, sothat a mere push or pull will cause the prong T, which isbearing upon the top edge of the quadrant, to form a lever, by means ofwhich the lever I is raised or moved endwise to lift its catch 1-1 outof the notches G, in which it is held, and thus enable the lover I to bemoved,

so as to reverse the link and shift the valve.

At times the speed of the engine, in conn eetion with its unbalancedcondition, causes an endwise movement of the engine from one to threeinches, and if no means is used to prevent it this movement iscommunicated to the lever B and the hand-rod U. By providing the lowerend of the lever B with the two prongs T the lever B can vibrate uponits pivot without communicating its motion to the hand-rod U.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of thequadrant upon which-the operating-lever is pivoted and to which theconnectingrod for making connection with the link is pivoted within thelever R, having its lower end provided with prongs, and the hand-rod U,connected to the lower end of the lever, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the quadrant, an endwise-moving spring-actuatedlever pivoted thereon and providedwitha catch for engaging with thequadrant, a connecting-rod and the link for shifting the valve with thelever B, pivoted near its lower end, and the handrod U, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a reversing-gear fora steam-engine, the combination of a pivotedvibrating lever and the hand-rod which is connected thereto with aspring-actuated endwise-moving lever and the quadrant upon which thespring-actuated lever is pivoted, the spring-actuated lever be-'ingconnected to the link which shifts the valves, and provided with acatch for looking it in position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

OHARLS SWAN, Witnesses:

J. F. DEAL, Jr., F. A. BUGBEE.

